Star Formation :: Astronomy

The basic idea of star formation is gravitational collapse – the contraction of a region of gas under the influence of gravity. This is a simple process that would be expected to occur in any region of material dense enough for collisions between atoms to radiate away energy. However, the gas must be dense enough for collisions to occur and the temperature must be low enough for the atomic velocities not to be able to escape the system's gravity, so star formation only occurs in a few areas. The sites of star formation in the galaxy are mostly located within molecular clouds – expansive, cool clouds of mostly hydrogen and helium gas. Molecular clouds are on average too diffuse to contract gravitationally, but within a cloud are regions of locally higher density, which are the sites of active star formation. It is not known exactly what causes molecular clouds and star-forming regions to be distributed as they are. However, it appears to be related to the spiral-arm structure of spiral galaxies, which is thought to be the result of density waves passing through the disk, compressing matter and igniting star formation in their wake, leaving the trails of young, hot, blue stars in their wake that are the primary feature of spiral galaxies. The distribution of gas in these regions is probably erratic enough that once a sufficient compression comes through a large number of separated regions will be triggered to contract individually. One a sufficiently dense region begins to contract, the process becomes self-sustaining, as contraction only increases the density and makes contraction more rapid. Any net rotation in the region will be flattened by conservation of angular momentum as the cloud contracts and spins more rapidly, making the contracting region attain the shape of a disk. The center of mass of the cloud will, of course, be the location of highest density, and as matter rains onto the center it will heat up rapidly to very high temperatures. This 'protostar' will emit strong radiation and winds which, while not immediately enough to stop the influx of matter from the disk, generates powerful outflow jets along the poles of the system, which may also be influenced by magnetic force originating in the disk. Throughout the process the temperature, density, and pressure in the protostar at the center are increasing, and soon approach figures comparable to normal stars. Once the temperature of the center

The Italian Retreat from Modern Architecture

‘The Italian Retreat from Modern Architecture: Gig Pont', Nonlinearity and others Italy is decentralized in Europe, south side ripping Transition Interview Difficult position in the way they accept refugees, pressures Italy have never been absolute 1860- unified by man but not unified in region, approaches to life, culture and language vary great amounts between cities of Italy. 1959?Renee Bonham Nonlinearity, the Italian retreat from modern architecture Attacking individualistic new Italian architects that were trying to be dedicate in the way they developed architecture, Just interested in themselves Guide Canella, a page from the article on the ‘Amsterdam School' Renee Bonham, conclusion of his article in The Architectural Review Ernest Nathan Rogers, ‘Continuity' o crisis? ‘ (Continuity of crisis? ), Isabella, no. 1 5, April-May 1957 early 20th century example of modern architecture, not an white clean architecture of machine Bonham is English, cannot unde rstand how Italians perceived architecture, they did not see it was something that could revolutionize or save the world. ‘Nonlinearity the type of architecture that was used in certain parts of Europe around he end of 19th century beginning of 20th common ground, trying to shift from 18th and 19th century architecture but was not interested in architecture as a machine and that direction Bonham is much more black and white, Isabella, no. 1 5, April-May 1957, content page with image of project in El Heaver by Pepper Eduardo Persist, Salad Della Aviators (Victory Room), VI Triennial, Milan, 1936 Adulterate Liberal, Case Maladapted, Capri island, Naples, 1938-40 Window Frames- full of matter Floor- not a functions type of modernist Window back of fireplace, sense of merging with the sun and the yellow orange lames of the fire. Onto born 1891-1979, generation of El Sorbs product of Italy TM most prominent architect that tried to understand bourgeois importance of discussion rathe r than getting to a point founder and director of Dooms magazine director of Stile magazine Gig Point, Mate laureateship (In praise of Architecture), book, 1957, cover page Gig Pont', Laureateship e' UN Cristal (Architecture is a crystal), (a publication that was published a bit earlier) Stile magazine, cover page Misaims Campaign, portrait of the Point family, painting ads for Richard Ignoring products, Dooms no. 1 GIG point,Gig Pont', kitchen plates for Richard Ignoring, 1923-25 , Vase, ceramic work Gig Pont', Hands, ceramic work House in via Rancid, Milan, 1924-26 point, Gig Point, House in via Rancid, Milan, 1924-26 point, Vile Boutique, Searches, 1925-26 El Couriers, Vile Stein, Searches, 1927 Comparison of two houses El Sorbs machine type of plan Built same time but different era's Gig Pont', Vile Bouillon, Searches, 1925-26, view Gig Point, House in Via Domenici, Milan, 1928-30 Gig Pont', House in Via Domenici, Lantern on the rooftop Fillips Brucellosis, Lantern on top of dom e, S. Maria del Floor, FlorenceGig Pont', Graphic and Textile design work Gig Point, Graphic and Textile design work Gig Point , Aria Italian magazine, cover page Gig Point, ‘Dooms Serene', Via De Togging, Milan, 1933-36, facade Dooms Latin word for house Vs.. El sorbs towards a new architecture, you can see the difference between the two Gig Point, ‘Typical Houses' Via De Togging, Milan Gig Point, ‘Dooms Julia', Via De Togging, Milan, 1931-34, fade rooms in houses were only allowed to be so big in order to help deal with the demand for housing Point created the idea of using a partition in the middle of a room to create two roomsItalians don't have second hand shops because they keep everything, would never see a garage sale etc.. Even stay in the same house windows that frame views Gig Pont', Marmot House, Milan, 1933-36 works with curtains, works with lots more things than ‘Just the wall' believed designing furniture was part of the architecture , Domestic space, exhibition installation at the 6th Triennial, Milan, 1936 GIG point dinner set, sass Gig Pont', dinner set and tablecloth, sass Gig Point, dinner set and tablecloth , Ferreira company, chairman office, Rome, 1936 Vendetta Furnishings, (an ‘organized wall'), Milan, 1938 Amour Belle', ‘Table- container', prototype, Ghetto-Ambient Exhibition, Association J.Voodoo et Bruno Danes, Milan, 1994 Calvin, Merlin', Mayo, Window-screen', prototype, Ghetto-Ambient Exhibition, Milan, 1994 Calvin, Merlin', Mayo, Window-screen', prototype, Ghetto-Ambient Exhibition, Milan, 1994 Bruno Veering, ‘movable shelving system', prototype, Ghetto-Ambient Exhibition, Milan, 1994 Bruno Veering, ‘movable shelving system', prototype, Ghetto-Ambient Exhibition, Milan, 1994 idea of having a single element with multiple functionsGig Point, Bed, furniture design Marco Removable, Mart Laudanum, ‘Nomadic Cardboard Panel', prototype, Ghetto- Ambient Exhibition, Milan, 1994 kinetic transitional Raisin tower, almost works as context itself Softness, reduce sense of mass accompanies organic roof point, Lamp, 1960 Ambient Exhibition, Milan, 1994 Antonio Astor', ‘Intemperate' (Internally) furniture system, Deride production, sass Joe Colombo, ‘Box 1', day-and-night furniture facility, 1968 Joe Colombo, ‘Square Plastic System', furniture system, 1969 idea of liberating people from the kitchen Joe Colombo, ‘Root-living, furniture design, 1969Joe Colombo , ‘cabriolet-seed', 1969 , ‘ Multi-chat, 1970 , ‘Mint-kitchen', 1963 Joe Colombo, ‘Combo-center' container, 1963 Joe Colombo, ‘Tube-Chat, 1969 Joe Colombo, Visions' exhibition, 1969 Gig Pont', Medication Building, Milan, interiors, 1935-38 Gig Point, Medication Building, Milan Gig Pont', Medication Building, Milan Gig Pont', Raisin Tower, Milan, 1933-36, perspective drawing Gig Pont', Raisin Tower, Milan, 1933-36, photo with neoclassic Portal Venetian in the foreg round Gig Pont', Raisin Tower, Milan, the tower and the park Gig Pont', Raisin Tower, Milan, rooftop GIG point, Rarest -rower, Milan, 1933-36Pitter Dieresis, Tower Building, Berlin, 1986 Pitter Dieresis, Tower Building, Berlin, 1986, plan + elevations, drawing Pitter Dieresis, Tower Building, Berlin, view from the street tower view at night, looked like a painting Gig Pont', Raisin Tower, Milan, side fade Pitter Dieresis, Tower Building, Berlin, view from the street Dieresis tower wants to be a mediator between the road and Gig Point, Scenes and costumes design for Stravinsky ‘Applicable', Triennial Theatre, Milan, 1940 Gig Point, glass bottles and cups, design for Venin' Company, 1946-49 Gig Pont', ‘La Paving' coffee machine, Milan, 1948Gig Pont', ‘Andrea Dorian' ship, interiors, 1948-52 POINT WAS READY TO DECORATE D†°CORE, this was not supported by modernism In production, building offices, he becomes very rigorous Rigor in Milan, people dress elegant but al l the same Rome things change, they are much more ‘began' with colors, eat outside Linking back to how there is a large cultural difference in each city e etc. ‘Dulcimer' store, Milan, interiors with surrealist objects, late ass, early ass , Casino, San Remote, interiors and furniture, 1950 Gig Pont', Casino, San Remote, interiors and furniture , Staccato Apartment, interior and furniture, 1950Gig Point (with Piper Fornicates), Interior exhibition, 9th Triennial, Milan, 1951 Gig Point (with Piper Fornicates), Lucian Apartment, interiors and decorations, 1951 Gig Point (with Piper Fornicates), Lucian Apartment, early (and decorated) version of ‘Supercharger' chair, 1951 Gig Pont', his own architectural office, Milan, 1952 Gig Pont', his own architectural office, interiors Milan, 1952 Eduardo Persist, Marcello Nozzle, Salad Medieval door (Gold Medals Room), Italian Aeronautics Exhibition, 1934 Gig Point, Mate laureateship (In praise of Architecture), book, 1957, cove r Point is very good with sensibility of spaceGig Point, ‘Supercharger' chair, 1957 ‘Chivalric chair' supercharger, super light chair, can be lifted with pinky finger very famous, incorporate everyday objects vernacular design, beautiful but clumsy Guide Canella, furniture design, prototype, Nevi Design per IL Mobile Italians (New Design for Italian Furniture) Exhibition, 1960 Roberto Gigabit & Mario Sisal, furniture design, prototype, Nevi Design per IL Mobile Italians Exhibition, 1960 Aledo Rossi, Table, prototype, Nevi Design per IL Mobile Italians Exhibition, 1960 Josef Hoffmann, Stole Building, Brussels, 1905 Rossi looks at structures that are much more linearHoffmann, type of corner that marks the buildings, much more conceptual Age Ailment, Rocking chair, prototype, Nevi Design per IL Mobile Italians Exhibition, 1960 Age Ailment, Bookshelf, prototype, Nevi Design per IL Mobile Italians Exhibition, 1960 Vitriol Garrotter, armchair, prototype, Nevi Design per IL Mob ile Italians Exhibition, 1960 Umber Rival, deckchair, prototype, Nevi Design per IL Mobile Italians Exhibition, 1960 all furniture about putting more rather than less human posture curved Achilles Castigation, ‘Splurge Brad' Pub-Bar-Restaurant, Milan 1960 Achilles Castigation, Splurge Brad' Pub-Bar-Restaurant, Milan 1960 Achilles Castigation, ‘San Luck' armchair, prototype sense of mean, floating lamps (named after the restaurant) total linear, rather than Just repeating the same element Marco Suzann, ‘Lady, armchair, 1950 Franco Albania, ‘Margarita', Malice bamboo-cane armchair, 1950 Gig Point, ‘Continuum', cane-chair, Poinciana production, 1963 Gig Point, ‘Novella', armchair, C&B production, 1968 Gig Point, Villa Plainchant, Caracas, Venezuela, 1955 closed volumes, moments of surprises materiality with layers, bringing layers to modernism Gig Pont', Point apartment, Via Daze, Milan, 1957, interiors designed his own house, colorful tiles. Decorat ions very Joyful Gig Pont', Furnished window for an exhibition in New York, 1953 interested in discussing ‘con-fusion,' to be one, inability to differ areas of space decorated elements that duplicate themselves in mirrors around.Gig Point, Hotel ‘Parch die Principia', Rome, 1964, interiors Gig Pont', Hotel ‘Parch die Principia', Rome, 1964, interiors Gig Point, Hotel ‘Parch die Principia', Rome, 1964, fade (detail) Gig Pont', project for an Italian Embassy building, early sass, drawings interested in natural mass architectural form to a natural form and vise versa not particularly interested in function Gig Pont', sanitary fixtures set, Ideal Standard, 1953, drawings with notes Gig Pont', sanitary fixtures set, Ideal Standard, 1953, washbasin Gig Pont', sanitary fixtures set, Ideal Standard, 1953, toilet Gig Pont', sanitary fixtures set, Ideal Standard, 1953, toilet and more set components Gig Point, steel flatware, Italian Group, 9th Triennial, Milan, 1951, sketches and notes Gig Point, steel flatware, Italian Group, 9th Triennial, Milan, 1951 Idea of redesigning a fork Gig Point, vases, Sebastian production, 1956

Winter at Valley Forge in the American Revolution

The encampment at Valley Forge took place from December 19, 1777 through June 19, 1778 and served as winter quarters for General George Washingtons Continental Army. Having suffered a string of defeats that fall, including losing the capital of Philadelphia to the British, the Americans made camp for the winter outside of the city. While at Valley Forge, the army endured a chronic supply crisis but largely remained as well fed and clothed as it did during the previous campaigning season. During the winter, it benefited from the arrival of Baron Friedrich Wilhelm von Steuben who implemented a new training regimen which transformed the men in the ranks from inexperienced amateurs into disciplined soldiers capable of standing up against the British. When Washingtons men departed in June 1778, they were an improved army from the one that had arrived months earlier. A Difficult Autumn In the fall of 1777, Washingtons army moved south from New Jersey to defend the capital of Philadelphia from the advancing forces of General William Howe. Clashing at Brandywine on September 11, Washington was decisively defeated, leading the Continental Congress to flee the city. Fifteen days later, after outmaneuvering Washington, Howe entered Philadelphia unopposed. Seeking to regain the initiative, Washington struck at Germantown on October 4.  In a hard-fought battle, the Americans came close to victory but again suffered defeat. Selecting a Site With the campaign season ending and cold weather rapidly approaching, Washington moved his army into winter quarters. For his winter encampment, Washington selected Valley Forge on the Schuylkill River approximately 20 miles northwest of Philadelphia. With its high ground and position near the river, Valley Forge was easily defensible, but still close enough to the city for Washington to maintain pressure on the British. The location also allowed the Americans to prevent Howes men from raiding into the Pennsylvania interior as well as could provide the launching point for a winter campaign. Additionally, the location next to the Schuylkill worked to facilitate the movement of supplies. Despite the defeats of the fall, the 12,000 men of the Continental Army were in good spirits when they marched into Valley Forge on December 19, 1777.   Reconstructed army huts at Valley Forge. Photograph  © 2008 Patricia A. Hickman Housing Under the direction of the armys engineers, the men began constructing over 2,000 log huts laid out along military streets.  These were erected using lumber from the regions abundant forests and typically took a week to build. With the arrival of spring, Washington directed that two windows be added to each hut. In addition, defensive trenches and five redoubts were built to protect the encampment. To facilitate re-supply of the army, a bridge was erected over the Schuylkill. The winter at Valley Forge generally conjures images of half-naked, starving soldiers battling the elements. This was not the case. This imagery is largely the result of early, romanticized interpretations of the encampment story which were meant to serve as a parable about American perseverance. Supplies Though far from ideal, the conditions of the encampment were generally on par with the Continental soldiers routine privations. During the early months of the encampment, supplies and provisions were scarce, but available. Soldiers made due with subsistence meals such as firecake, a mixture of water and flour. This would sometimes be supplemented by pepper pot soup, a stew of beef tripe and vegetables.   The situation improved in February following a visit to the camp by members of Congress and successful lobbying by Washington. While a lack of clothing caused suffering among some the men, many were fully uniformed with the best equipped units used for foraging and patrols. During the early months at Valley Forge, Washington lobbied to improve the armys supply situation with some success. Statue of Brigadier General Anthony Wayne at Valley Forge. Photograph  © 2008 Patricia A. Hickman To supplement those supplies received from Congress, Washington sent Brigadier General Anthony Wayne to New Jersey in February 1778, to gather food and cattle for the men. A month later, Wayne returned with 50 head of cattle and 30 horses. With the arrival of warmer weather in March, disease began strike at the army. Over the next three months, influenza, typhus, typhoid, and dysentery all erupted within the encampment. Of the 2,000 men who died at Valley Forge, over two-thirds were killed by disease. These outbreaks were eventually contained through sanitation regulations, inoculations, and the work of surgeons. Drilling with von Steuben: On February 23, 1778, Baron Friedrich Wilhelm von Steuben arrived in the camp. A former member of the Prussian General Staff, von Steuben had been recruited to the American cause in Paris by Benjamin Franklin. Accepted by Washington, von Steuben was put to work designing a training program for the army. He was aided in this task by Major General Nathanael Greene and Lieutenant Colonel Alexander Hamilton. Though he spoke no English, von Steuben commenced his program in March with the aid of interpreters. Beginning with a model company of 100 chosen men, von Steuben instructed them in drill, maneuver, and a simplified manual of arms. These 100 men were in turn sent out to other units to repeat the process and so on until the entire army was trained. In addition, von Steuben introduced a system of progressive training for recruits which educated them in the basics of soldiering. Statue of Baron von Steuben at Valley Forge. Photograph  © 2008 Patricia A. Hickman Surveying the encampment, von Steuben greatly improved sanitation by reorganizing the camp. This included the repositioning kitchens and latrines ensure they were on the opposites ends of the camp and the latter on the downhill side. His efforts so impressed Washington that Congress appointed inspector general for the army on May 5.  The results of von Steubens training were immediately evident at Barren Hill (May 20) and the Battle of Monmouth (June 28). In both cases, the Continental soldiers stood up to and fought on equal footing with the British professionals. Departure Though the winter at Valley Forge had been trying for both the men and the leadership, the Continental Army emerged as a stronger fighting force. Washington, having survived various intrigues, such as the Conway Cabal, to remove him from command, cemented himself as the armys military and spiritual leader, while the men, stiffened by von Steuben, were superior soldiers to those that had arrived in December 1777. On May 6, 1778, the army held celebrations for the announcement of the alliance with France.  These saw military demonstrations across the camp and the firing of artillery salutes. This change in the course of the war, prompted the British to evacuate Philadelphia and return to New York. Hearing of the British departure from the city, Washington and the army left Valley Forge in pursuit on June 19.   Leaving some men, led by the injured Major General Benedict Arnold, to re-occupy Philadelphia, Washington led the army across the Delaware into New Jersey. Nine days later, the Continental Army intercepted the British at the Battle of Monmouth. Fighting through extreme heat, the armys training showed as it battled the British to a draw. At its next major encounter, the Battle of Yorktown, it would be victorious. General George Washingtons headquarters at Valley Forge. Photograph  © 2008 Patricia A. Hickman